Regardless of whether you were a fan of the millennium hit “Sweet Like Chocolate” by Shanks & Bigfoot, we can all agree that chocolate is a big hit with sweet toothed Aussies.
But did you know how incredibly well wine and chocolate go together?
Like Sonny and Cher.
Or Ross and Rachel.
Prince Harry and Meghan.
Trust us. Carefully matching foods with wine can elevate the best characteristics of each to another level. A “nice” wine becomes delicious. And a tasty chocolate dessert is all of a sudden, the best thing you’ve eaten in your entire life.
We want to share our wine and chocolate know-how with you. So when you crack open your next bottle and choco treat, it’s an experience that makes you go “oooooh…..”
Top tip for matching wine and chocolate
Before we get started on pairings, here’s our number 1 tip for matching wine and chocolate. So you can feel confident doing it all by yourself.
Keep it simple stupid!
Whatever are the most obvious characteristics of the wine or the chocolate, that’s what you need to focus on in your pairing.
So, has the chocolate got any fruit, nuts, or other flavours added to it?
Is the wine fruity, dry, light, heavy, savoury, or sweet?
Make a note of the most obvious thing(s) that you taste. Then you can go one of two ways:
- Match it like for like
- Match up opposites
Matching like for like is easy. If you’re eating white chocolate lemon ganache, choose a white wine with a hint of citrus. If your wine is a robust, full bodied red, you’ll need a rich, flavourful chocolate to go with it.
Alternatively, you could match up complementary opposites. This is the kind of stuff they talk about in Masterchef when they say things like:
“The acid of the citrus really cuts through the creaminess of the sauce.”
Or…
“The saltiness of the bacon is perfect against the sweetness of the peas.”
Yes, you too can sound that awesome.
Channel your inner Matt Preston and you’ll find wine and chocolate pairing a breeze. (Colourful cravat is optional.)
3 incredible wine and chocolate pairings
1. White chocolate
We know that white chocolate isn’t really chocolate. But that doesn’t stop people from loving it. And in actual fact, it’s one of the safest chocs to pair with wine. And it’s the easiest pairing to remember...
White chocolate = white wine!
Because it’s so delicate in flavour, white choc is best with white wine. A Pinot Grigio would be perfect, because the orchard fruit flavours of the wine go well with the creaminess of the chocolate.
Serving suggestion: Eden Valley Pinot Grigio with pear and white chocolate cake.
2. Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate has those tasty cocoa flavours but it’s also much creamier and sweeter than dark chocolate. So it pairs nicely with lighter, fruitier, or lower alcohol reds.
A Pinot Noir is a great shout, as its subtle earthy characteristics combined with cherry flavours are the perfect balance between sweet and savoury.
Serving suggestion: King Valley Pinot Noir with rocky road.
3. Dark chocolate
Now for the good stuff. Dark chocolate is known for its health benefits. And so is red wine. Understandably, they’re a match made in heaven.
An Australian Shiraz from the Barossa has a spicy dark fruity flavour that will complement the bitter notes in the chocolate. Alternatively, you could go down the cab sav route.
Grenache also matches well with darker chocolates, as it is low in tannins to balance out the bitterness of dark chocolate.
Serving suggestion: McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon or full bodied Barossa Shiraz with dark chocolate brownie.
Take the guesswork out of your wine and chocolate pairings with our Wine Subscription Box. We’ll send you boutique wines from over 100 Australian regions, so you can try before you commit to your ideal wine and chocolate match.
Secret Bottle also stock a la carte red wine, white wine and rosé from Australia and worldwide, plus a range of artisan chocolate from winemakers-turn-chocolate-obsessives Bahen & Co.
